On Thursday, March 2, Chris Shaban, owner of the Tom Drawer company, co-founder of The Overflow and former co-owner of Collision Records, posted on his Tumblr account, an open letter to Christian Hip-Hop.

In the letter, titled “Dearly Beloved…”, the Toronto native stated that “what we refer to as CHH, or Christian Hip-Hop is now finished. It sleeps with the fishes, its time has expired, it’s not being renewed for another season, etc, etc.”

Shaban gleaned from his experiences and career in his hometown of Toronto, and used it as his foundation to state his case for Christian Hip-Hop to change.

He went on to explain his love hate relationship with the sub-genre, highlighting its initial appeal, and what now seems to be its downfall.

“If we go to the early days of CHH, we see some of our strongest pillars. We see the Tunnel Rats, we see Cross Movement, and if we go back further, you’ll see other champions of the faith who could spit,” Shaban stated.

He thanked the crews for the foundation they laid but also pointed out the issues we face today, due to the doctrinal battles that were created. Overall, Shaban felt like CHH “has started to become a religion… and that religion was loosely based on Reformed Theology.”

He also addressed some of the concerns many have had about Lecrae and Reach Records, and the new direction they have been heading. And he touched on the long going debate about “a rapper who is a Christian” vs. “a Christian Rapper.”

Shaban balanced both his praises and his criticism of the sub-genre, and tried to present a solution to help CHH reinvent itself and start with a clean slate.

“Nothing signifies a new start like a brand change. Let’s show the world that the most talented people use their gifts to glory the risen King,” he concluded.

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Mikaela "Laide Mak" McIntosh is an editor and reporter for Wadeoradio.com. She can also be heard on the Wade-O Radio Show. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Mass Media from Valdosta State University and a Master of Arts degree from Dallas Theological Seminary. You can follow her on Twitter @Mikaelalaidemak.